1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to strapping devices used to secure loads for transportation, and more particularly to ratchet strapping devices having the ability to spool unused portions of the strap.
2. Description of Related Art
In the transportation field, it is common to transport loads of equipment and supplies on vehicles where shifting of the load may occur due to normal vibration and motion during the travel. Consequently, such loads are often secured to the vehicle by one or more strapping devices. The most common strapping devices are comprised of a ratcheted locking member having a short hook-equipped strap permanently affixed to the locking member, and a long hook-equipped strap that is urged through the locking member.
The strapping device is typically employed by securing one end of the short strap at a first location on the vehicle, passing the long strap over or through the load, and then securing the long strap to a second location. The ratcheted locking member is then operated to pull the long strap through the locking member until the strapping device is tightened against the load. In almost all situations, there is an unused portion of the long strap that must be stored or otherwise secured so that it does not dangle and present a safety hazard, or left exposed to become damaged by surrounding equipment, oil, chemicals, or the elements.
The required collection of the unused long strap for its storage or keeping after its use is generally regarded by users as a time-wasting and irritating procedure. Ideally, the unused strap should be manually formed into a roll, but in practice, it is usually wrapped around the tightened portion of the strap or around other equipment. The necessity of securing the unused strap, unraveling it after use, and re-rolling it for storage has proven to be an inconvenient and time-consuming task, as well as an imperfect solution to the problem.
Few strapping devices have addressed the problem of how to secure the unused portion of the strap. Some have proposed reeling the unused portion on a separate reeling device or collector, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,520 to Söderström, U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,371 to Wyers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,275 to Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,901 to Gleinser, U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,902 to Lu, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,326 to Madachy. Other have proposed spooling the unused strap around the main axle of the device, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,350,767 to Huang.
However, none of the above devices provides a simple and effective solution, because they rely on existing devices and methods to tighten and lock the strap into place, e.g. using detents which are mounted and functional internal to the frame. Achieving the best and most compact solution would require removing critical elements to the outside or exterior of the strapping device, including the detents and ratchets. Placing such components on the outer surfaces of the strapping device would create a “free” area within the device within which the unused strap can be wound, both during actual use and for storage purposes. As will be seen, it is believed that the present invention achieves such objective.